A woman and her daughter suspected to have plotted and kidnapped her employer’s 7 year old boy have been remanded for 5 days by a Kiambu Court on Friday.
The Kiambu Chief Magistrate (CM) Ms. Patriciah Gichohi allowed Police to detain Leah Muhonja Luyali and Charlotte Msimbi at Gigiri Police Station following a miscellaneous application No.225 of 2019.
Sgt. Peter Mutiso in his affidavit told the court friday that he needed more time to complete investigations which included tracking down accomplices, recording down statements from witnesses and conducting forensic examination that will assist in building up the case against the duo.
During this time, he says he intends to go to NTSA and establish the ownership of the motor vehicle used in commission of the offence and also obtain call data from Safaricom limited.
Sgt. Mutiso said in the application that the first suspect had been employed by the father of the child as a house girl when she committed the offence.
He told the court that on 21st May, the complainant, David Oduor Simbili reported to the station that his child had been kidnapped by unknown people from his compound who purported to have been sent by his wife to take out the child for dinner.
At the time, they used a vehicle whose owner police were investigating.
The first accused told the complainant that the alleged kidnappers had left her a letter after taking the boy and after she read it, she discovered that the boy had been kidnapped and the culprits were demanding Sh.3 million ransom to release him.
He explained to court that the first accused later received a text message from Mobile phone no.0726550930 instructing that the mother of the boy had allowed and permitted them to take him for a meal.
Investigations were launched and through intelligence led to the investigating team to Kawangware where the 2nd suspect was arrested and the kidnapped boy rescued safely.
Prior to the application being granted, Senior Prosecuting Counsel, Ms. Christine Mbevi told the court that she supported the application made by the investigating officer as it will enable him adequate time to prepare for his case.
While the 1st accused accepted to be remanded, the second opposed the application on grounds that she had been tortured by the police after she was arrested. “The police inserted a firearm in my private parts and I wish the court to allow me to be examined by a doctor,” she told the court.
She said she would accept the medical service from anywhere either at the police station or be released to access it on her own.
While allowing the application, the CM warned t he investigating officer that she shall not entertain any
complaints from the suspects that they had been tortured. The case shall be mentioned on May 31st.
By Lydia Shiloya
